---
title: Psalm 18
slug: kjv/psalm-18
createdAt: 2024-08-21T01:37:52.274Z
---

**1 **\{To the chief Musician, *A Psalm* of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day *that* the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,} I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

**2 **The LORD *is* my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, *and* my high tower.

**3 **I will call upon the LORD, *who is worthy* to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

**4 **The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

**5 **The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

**6 **In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, *even* into his ears.

**7 **Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

**8 **There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

**9 **He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness *was* under his feet.

**10 **And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

**11 **He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him *were* dark waters *and* thick clouds of the skies.

**12 **At the brightness *that was* before him his thick clouds passed, hail *stones* and coals of fire.

**13 **The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail *stones* and coals of fire.

**14 **Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

**15 **Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

**16 **He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

**17 **He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

**18 **They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

**19 **He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

**20 **The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

**21 **For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

**22 **For all his judgments *were* before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

**23 **I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

**24 **Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

**25 **With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

**26 **With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

**27 **For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

**28 **For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

**29 **For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

**30 ***As for* God, his way *is* perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he *is* a buckler to all those that trust in him.

**31 **For who *is* God save the LORD? or who *is* a rock save our God?

**32 ***It is* God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

**33 **He maketh my feet like hinds' *feet*, and setteth me upon my high places.

**34 **He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

**35 **Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

**36 **Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

**37 **I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

**38 **I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

**39 **For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

**40 **Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

**41 **They cried, but *there was* none to save *them: even* unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

**42 **Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

**43 **Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; *and* thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people *whom* I have not known shall serve me.

**44 **As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

**45 **The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

**46 **The LORD liveth; and blessed *be* my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

**47 ***It is* God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

**48 **He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

**49 **Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

**50 **Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.